Dental implants without a written quote: an avoidable risk

Going ahead with an implant without a quote: the risk you pay for with your health and your wallet

Tomorrow, a patient will walk into the office of their long-time dentist to get a dental implant. They never asked for a quote. They have no idea how much they will be charged. Years of trust outweigh financial caution, and this is no isolated case: deep down, the same scene plays out in dozens of clinics every week.

The bill is no small matter. Estimates range between 1,200 and 1,600 euros per implant, roughly the cost of a good month's rent. And there is plenty of room for surprises: X-rays, check-ups, possible complications. Even so, nobody asked for a written breakdown. The "friend's price" argument wins out over the official paperwork.

Clinically, there are opposing views. Some argue that implants eventually fail, that they are not perfectly sealed and that they cause infections. Someone with first-hand experience of peri-implantitis and a broken screw corrects them: 90% last more than 20 years. In between, some prefer dentures: easier to clean and less troublesome in the short term. And not everyone is a suitable candidate: a smoker whose dentist advised against an implant ended up with a bridge instead.

The jaw-dropping detail: for five euros, someone suggests a DIY fix with aluminium foil and Loctite. It's a joke, of course. But it sums up better than any survey how a decision that costs 1,600 euros and affects your health is sometimes treated.